The Little Match Country
by Procyonpaw
Summary: This is a Hetalia retelling of The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen. If you are familiar with the actual tale, you know how the ending will turn out (Warning!).


_**Author's Note: **__This is a very famous tale that is spoken at Christmas-time. Though it is very tragic, which is in huge contrast to the happy festive jingles that are usually traded at the holiday season, this story is a classic nevertheless. Since I based this tale off the original story by Hans Christian Andersen, there are some phrases that were copied into this tale. Though I don't want to go back and find every little phrase that was from the original story (as that takes lots of time – something I don't have these days), the phrases that I purposely copied from the story are in italics. _

_Nevertheless, enjoy and have a Merry Christmas_

XX

**The Little Match Country**

**Based on **_**The Little Match Girl**_** by Hans Christian Andersen**

**Starring…**

**Lili – Lichtenstein **

XX

It was very cold and dark on the last day of the old year as snow fell all over the land. In this bleak and chilly world, Lili maneuvered her way through the deserted streets of the globe. Though she had shoes when she first started on her journey from home, she lost them both partly because it was too big for her feet and partly because she had to quickly avoid two fast-moving cars that threatened her with their speed.

XX

Digging into her dirty old apron, Lili found a bundle of matches – her only source of comfort and warmth in this heartless world. Though she looked like the portrait of misery, no country spared her even the tiniest morsel of food. As the little country stood in the road, tiny snowflakes glistened in the air and fell into her curly hair. However, she didn't recognize such beauty and continued her trek through the town.

XX

Passing the homes of many nations, Lili caught the scents of sumptuous meals – roast meats, miso soup, dim sum, pasta, and many more delicacies of the world. In a corner beside one of the homes, she huddled herself together and drew her little feet to her body. Though she was freezing in the unforgiving wind, she couldn't go home because she had sold no matches.

XX

Continuing to trudge through the town, Lili leaned against a wall and dug into her apron.

"Ah!" she thought. "Perhaps a burning match might be some good."

She struck the match against the wall and the soothing flame flickered to life, filling her body with a comforting radiance. To the little country, the ember felt like a roaring stove. How the fire burned!

Alas, the stove vanished and a half-burnt match remained in her hand.

XX

In light of such a development, Lili struck another match against the wall. The match burst to life and made the wall transparent as a veil before her. As she peered through the wall, she saw the white table cloth that adorned the giant table and the splendid feast that laid before her – a steaming roast goose decorated with dried fruits of different sizes. However, such a vision of grandeur wasn't meant to last as the match went out, leaving behind a grey, damp wall before the young country.

XX

Lili lit another match and saw herself standing beneath a giant, gorgeous Christmas tree. Its green branches were adorned with the biggest ornaments she ever seen. Her eyes especially gazed at the large, round baubles that glistened by the candlelight. However, as she stretched her hands to touch the majestic tree, the match went out.

XX

However, instead of a stern wall before her, Lili saw Christmas lights rising higher and higher into the air until they looked like stars in the sky. Then a star fell from its orderly place in the heavens, leaving a long streak of fire in its path.

"Someone is dying," thought the little country, for her older brother, the only one who loved her dearly and now was watching her from Heaven, told her that when a star falls, a soul was going up to God.

She again struck a match on the wall and a bright light enveloped her; in the middle of the brightness was her older brother, who had a soft smile on his face as he had before he disappeared into time.

XX

_"Big Brother," _cried Lili_, "O take me with you; I know you will go away when the match burns out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the roast goose, and the large glorious Christmas-tree."_

She then lit all the matches she had left, for she wanted to keep her brother there. The matches glowed brighter and more radiant than the noon-day and her brother had never appeared so large or so beautiful. He took Lili by the hand and they both flew high above the earth, where there was no more suffering or pain, for they were with God.

XX

As the morning sun rose, the little country, with pale cheeks and smiling mouth, was found leaning against the wall. She was frozen on the last evening of the year and the rays of the new year shone upon her. Alas, Lili still sat, holding the matches in her hand, one bundle of which was burnt.

_"She tried to warm herself," said some. No one imagined what beautiful things she had seen, nor into what glory she had entered with her brother, on New-year's day._

XX


End file.
